The Final Battle
by Winter's Shadow
Summary: It is time for it all to end - the final battle.Dark secrets come to life and people have to choose sides. Harry knows it's either him or Voldemort and he and his friends have to find a way to make sure it's not him, not for his sake alone but for the sak
1. Default Chapter

**Chapter 1: STRANGE BEHAVIOURS**

Harry looked around the crowded platform as he stepped off the Hogwarts Express. It was the end of his sixth year and he was to return to the Dursley's for another month before he could go to the Weasleys for the rest of the summer.

"Bye Harry," said Hermione, "I'll see you at The Burrow later this summer, alright?" Harry nodded as he hugged one of his best friends.

"See you later mate," said Ron, "by the looks of it you better get moving, that git of your Uncle's coming."

"Ron," scolded Hermione. Harry turned to see his uncle approach them, without a word to the weasleys he grabbed Harry by the arm and literally dragged him away. Harry was surprised. His uncle at least pretended to be nice to him in front of the Weasleys for fear of being hexed or something.

"Bye," Harry managed to yell over his shoulder as he was dragged to the parking lot.

*************************

"Get in and stay!"

Harry felt a hard shove and the next thing he heard was the door of his room banging shut. He picked himself off the floor still bewildered. He hadn't done anything yet to make his uncle angry. He felt a growing apprehension. Something was up and he wasn't sure what.

He missed his owl. Hedwig was with Ron for the time being, last summer she had nearly bitten off Dudley's finger and Harry thought it best for her to stay with Ron.

He frowned. Aunt Petunia and Dudley had a loathing look on their faces when he saw them, it was odd as they had treated him with something between fear and hatred for the past year. He couldn't help the shudder that went through him.

Very strange indeed.

The next two weeks were the worst that Harry had ever spend with the Dursleys. The pushes and shoves were almost too much and Harry already had bruises.It took every ounce of his energy to keep his calm.

It was on one such instance that the final blow came.

Harry was washing up after lunch one day when Dudley came in. "Hurry up Potter," he sneered. Harry girtted his teeth, recently his cousin had developed an uncanny similarity to his school nemesis, Draco Malfoy.

"You're a freak you know," continued Dudley, Harry scrubbed hard at the plate he was holding imagining that he was wiping off that sneer from his cousin's face. That's when Dudley spoke something that caused Harry to explode.

"Your parents were freaks, they were a couple of bas–"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT MY PARENTS!"

Harry saw red, he'd had enough. He barely noticed Uncle Vernon enter until he felt a hard slap on his cheek. Harry fell to the floor, his eyes widening with shock as he tasted blood. 

His uncle had actually hit him.

"Get Up!" his uncle growled dragging him to his feet. A minute later Harry found himself being flung on the floor of his room. That's it he thought, I'm stuck in my room for the rest of the month. If he thought it ended there he was wrong.

Very wrong.

'HOW DARE YOU YELL AT DUDLEY!" Harry looked up at his uncle's purple face, his own temper rising. He spat the blood from his mouth, his own temper rising.

"He had no right to talk like that about my parents!" Harry said, "he–"

But Harry never completed that sentence because at that moment his uncle's fist connected with his skull, throwing him on the floor. 

Harry was dazed but realised he'd gone too far, his uncle was beyond control, a brief thought of what happened to his uncle flitted across his mind before it was pushed out of him along with the air that was forced out of lungs as his uncle's large foot connected with his stomach.

Harry gasped in pain and shock as his uncle continued to kick.

'Don't," his uncle growled punctating each word with a kick, "Ever. Talk. Back."

As Vernon's foot collided with his ribs Harry heard a distinct crack followed by a searing pain. He knew his ribs were broken.

"Uncle Vernon," he pleaded, "stop… please…"

"NO!" his uncle roared, his large hands grabbed the thin boy before him and flung him against his bed. Harry's eyes watered as the pain increased at the impact.

"YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!" his Uncle yelled, "ONCE AN FOR ALL!"

Harry's eyes widened as his uncle picked up a detached plank from the floor and moved towards him, he closed his eyes. Dear God…, he thought desparately, please let me just pass out now please…

Harry couldn't supress the cry that was torn out of his throat as the plank came crashing down on his arm.

God…please… 

"I DETEST YOU!" his uncle yelled as he continued to hit him, Harry curled up into a ball, tears pouring down his face. His body was screaming with pain and Harry just wanted it to end.

Please…

"FILTHY ANIMAL!"

God save me…

A sharp searing pain shot through his side, a new wave of fear washed over him.

The plank had a nail sticking out of it.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

His uncle Vernon seemed to have to noticed it too because now every time he hit he dragged it plank down his body. Harry could see that his clothes were now soaked with blood.

"DISGUSTING FREAK!"

I'm going to die, he thought, he's going to kill me…

"ABOMINATION!"

Harry watched in horror as his enraged uncle brought the plank down on his head. It was the last thing he saw before the plank connected with its target and he mercifully lost conciousness.

Harry slowly tried to open his eyes, only one opened. His head felt as if it had been trampled on. He tried to move but nearly screamed as pain shot through his body. With supreme effort he turned over and caught a glimpse of his face in a piece of broken mirror on the floor.

His glasses were cracked, and his face was severely bruised and there were gashes on the side of his face where the nail had torn the skin. His face was bloodied and the reason why his left eye wouldn't open was because it glued shut with dried blood.

He needed to get out of Privet Drive, Harry knew that. He looked at the clock, it was six in the evening. What he needed more than anything now was someone who could heal his wounds. He was aware he had lost a lot of blood. Why did his uncle do this?

The only thing he knew was that if his uncle came around again he was as good as dead.

He had to go to the Burrow, he decided. But how?

Harry suddenly remembered that Hermione had forced him and Ron in the sixth year to read a book on apparating insisting knowledge of the theory would help in the practical application. They had grumbled but had done it to pacify her, Harry knew the basic method but had never applied it for fear of getting splinched.  

Right now it seemed the only way. Harry was unsure if he'd get splinched or not in his present condition but, he reasoned, atleast the officials will find me then. Either way he'd be better off.

Painfully dragging himself to his trunk he grasped the handle with his good hand. He could feel the splintered bones in his body and he gasped. Summoning all his strenght he concentrated like never before.

For a brief second Harry felt as if he was moving through a fluid medium, he faintly heard a pop and his head hit something soft. 

He looked into the shocked and horrified face of a red haired girl and heard her scream before he passed out from exhaustion.

*************


	2. A reason to return

**Chapter 2: A REASON TO RETURN**

Harry woke up to the feel of someone stroking his hair. He groaned.

"Harry," asked a soft voice, "are you alright?"

"Ginny…" he mumbled, "where are the…"

"Shhh… everyone's gone to Diagon Alley, we're out of floo, so I can't contact anyone, they'll be back soon."

Harry finally managed to open his eyes ans saw that he was lying on the couch. He looked at Ginny sitting next to him and saw that her face was tear stained.

"What did they do to you?" she asked her eyes filling with tears. Harry reached out with his good arm and pulled her close. His shirt was off he realised and she had applied a sort of thick yellow paste on his wounds and bruise.

"It's a healingy balm," Ginny explained

He attempted to sit up but Ginny gently pushed him down, "You've broken almost all your ribs, and I think you have multiple fractures on your left arm and leg, I can't heal those, we have to wait for mum."

Harry felt as if he was going to pass out again. Terrifying images of his uncle loomed before his eyes, the plank as it tore its way down his body…

He was brought back to the present by Ginny's voice. "HARRY!," she said, looking at him worriedly, "don't pass out again!"

"No," he said, breathing was getting a bit painful because of his broken ribs, "God, it hurts!" 

Ginny bit her lip as she looked at him helplessly. "Hold on Harry," she whispered, giving his hand a light squeeze. He managed a weak grin, "Hey," he said, "I'm the boy who lived remember, I won't die so fast."

Lying there Harry told her everything that had happened to him since he had returned to Privet Drive.  
             A sudden whoosh made them both turn towards the fireplace. Harry saw a blur of red clambering through and relief flowed through him as he realised the Weasleys were back.

The noise that had erupted at their arrival halted as soon as they caught sight of Harry. For a long moment no one spoke as they stared. It was Ginny's frusterated yell that broke the shocked silence.

"MUM! DON'T JUST STAND THERE! HELP HIM!"

Harry could hardly register what happened after that as his mind slowly slipped back into oblivion.

When he awoke he was startled to see Dumbledore's face peering over him.

"Gah!" he choked out as he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a restrsining hand on his arm, "It's alright Harry, you're safe," said the silver haired Headmaster though his face was grim, "you're at 12 Grimmauld Place now,"

Looking around, Harry saw that he indeed was at 12 Grimmauld Place.

"Where are the Weas – " he began but was cut off as Dumbledore said, "They're here, so is Miss Granger."

"Hermione's here?" Harry asked surprised.

"Yes and if you're well enough I suggest you see them and Miss Weasley."

Harry nodded.

A few moments after he had left the door to Harry's room was flung open and his vision was temporarily obstructed by a the mass of bushy hair that belonged to one of his best friends,  Hermione Granger.

"Harry!" she sobbed, "I was so worried, they wouldn't let us see you. Ron and Ginny told me all about it. You've been unconcious for nearly six hours!"

Harry was shocked at the fact that he had been unconcious for so long.

"I'm alright Hermione," he said patting her on the back, "Really I'm fine!"

"Let him breathe Hermione," said Ron jokingly, but Harry could see that his best friend's face looked pale and strained. "Gave us all quite a scare when you dropped of like that mate, Mum thought you were dead," Harry noticed that the last word was said rather painfully.

Hermione had let go of Harry and was clinging onto to Ron. "I'm going to kill those bloody Dursleys," growled Ron. Harry couldn't supress the sudden surge of hatred that flowed through his body for his blood relatives. They had at the least been decent to him after what Moody had told them at the end of his fifth year, it was strange that they acted like this, they were really scared of what Moody would do if they had tried anything surely ...

"Dumbledore, Tonks, Lupin and Moody have gone over," said Ron.

"Hope they kill them," said Harry.

That was when Ginny entered the room, Harry was struck at how pale she looked. Her freckles stood out as dark dots on her face, her eyes were red and puffy, like she'd been crying. Something pulled at Harry's heart as he looked at her, she looked a lot like the scared and vnerable little girl he had carried out of the Chamber of Secrets nearly four years ago.

"Ron, Hermione," she said, "Mum's calling you downstairs."

The both nodded, "We'll be back mate," Ron told Harry as he left with Hermione.

That left Harry alone with Ginny, who, now sittin on his bed, looked like she was about to burst into tears again.

Harry sat up in bed and smiled at her, "I'm alright," he said yet again,"See," as if to prove his point he waved his arms a bit.

The red headed girl let out a choked frusterated sob, "You really know how to scare people Harry!" wiping furiously at her eyes she said, "Damn I hate to cry!"

Harry was a little shocked by the outburst. "Ginny really I ––"

"Stop being so damn noble!" she snapped.  Harry gave her a shocked look.

"What ––?"

"Oh shut up!" she yelled again, "you're making me cry!" she stamped her foot angrily, "I DON"T WANT TO CRY!"

Now Harry felt really confused, he had never seen Ginny act that way. He was thrown into even further confusion when she flung her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed, Harry awkwardly patted her on the back, still very confused.

" Ah... it's okay," he said still a bit puzzled.

Ginny backed up and sat on the edge of the bed, twisting a bit of the covers around her fingers. She opened her mouth to say something but was cut short  when Ron hurried into the room followed by Hermione returned carrying a bowl of what Harry assumed was a potion.

"What the shouting match about?" asked Ron, "you'll wake all those bloody portraits up."

"Shut up Ron," Ginny said wearily, turning to Harry she added, "see you later,' and with that she left the room.

"What's gotten into her?" Harry asked.

"Dunno," said Ron, "she always acts like this when she gets really worried, she's even got Fred and George scared, gone nutters if you ask me."

"Ron!" said Hermione frowning.

"What?" the red head protested, "with the way she screamed bloody murder when Harry passed out, anyone'd think she's gone off her rocker."

"Here Harry," Hermione said warmly, ignoring Ron. She handed the bowl to him,"it's the potion for dreamless sleep."

"Thanks," he mumbled as he drained the contents quickly. The effect was immediate and his body sagged as his mind was drawn to the deeper levels of subconciousness.

He never realised it when a few minutes after Ron and Hermione left Ginny returned and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight."

*****************

The next day Harry dressed quickly and made his way downstairs. 

He was surprised to find everyone else sitting around the table looking grave. Hermione looked horrified, both Ron and Ginny looked pale. 

"What happened?" Harry asked worried, that someone was hurt.

"Sit down Harry, Dumbledore's just gone over to Privet Drive" said Lupin, "should be back by now," guesturing to the empty chair next to him, once Harry was seated he said, "It's about what happened at the Dursleys…"

Anger surged within Harry, "I hope he's dead," he said vehemently, "I hope he's…"

"… it was not their fault," said Lupin. Harry looked at Lupin disbelivingly

"WHAT!" he yelled his anger finally blowing the lid, "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT AFTER WHAT HE DID TO ME!?!"

"They were under the Imperious curse Harry," said Mr. Weasley quietly from his corner.

Harry was stunned. "The Imperious…?" he croaked, his anger replaced by cold numbness, "That means…"

"That Voldemort is getting desparate."

Harry turned to look at the door. Dumbledore had just entered.

Conjouring up a chair for himself he said, "That also means he'll stop at nothing now."

Hermione looked like she might burst into tears again. It was Ginny who spoke, "But we can't let him get near Harry!"

"Certainly not, Virginia," said Dumbledore calmly, "That's why I'm going to send you out of the country for the next month till it's time for you to return to Hogwarts."

Everyone looked shocked.

"But it isn't safe!"

"Surely Dumbledore..."

"But You-Know-Who will..."

Dumbledore held up a hand to silence them. "The conditions have grown very risky," he said, "it is wiser to send Harry back to the Dursleys for the moment though."

"NO!" cried Harry, Ron and Ginny together.

"Ron! Ginny!," scolded Mrs. Weasley glaring at them.

"It's alright Molly," Dumbledore said mildly, "I understand how you feel Harry but there is no telling when Grimauld Place will be discovered. I've been uneasy about the headquarters for a while now. I feel there is a spy within the Order.

"A spy?!" said Ron increduously.

"If we can have spies within the Death Eaters there can be some among us," said Dumbledore.

"But if I go back," said Harry, "what if someone casts the Imperious on the Dursley's again?"

"That has been taken care of Harry," said Dumbledore, "each of the Dursley's will have someone following them in an Invisibility Cloak, and in places where they can't be followed we have fitted them with magical detectors that will tell us if someone has cast a spell on them."

"So it's safe," said Harry. He would have preferred to stay at Grimauld Place inspite of the danger rather than go back to the Dursleys.

"I better get breakfast ready," said Mrs. Weasley breaking the silence that had fallen upon them, "all of you must be famished.

As Dumbledore got up Harry asked, "Will anyone be following me around as well?"

Harry hated being followed, especially when you couldn't see the person.

"Yes, Harry," said Dumbledore his eyes twinkling, "Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Weasley will be with you all the time."

Hermione and Ginny squealed and Ron gave a loud whoop and thumped Harry on the back.

"Really professor?" asked Ginny.

Harry could hardly believe it. He could have his friends with him! It won't be so bad after all.

"I'm sure Harry and Hermione can show you how to behave like Muggles," said Dumbledore looking amused, "and since Mr. Weasley has already become of age magical assistance will not be a problem."

"Thanks professor," Harry said feeling his face split into a wide grin.

"Well then," Mrs.Weasley said, "hurry up with breakfast so you can pack your trunks and get ready to leave."


	3. Moving in

**Chapter 3: MOVING IN**

The four of them wolfed down breakfast and shot upstairs to pack.

"Tonks said the car will be ready in half an hour," Hermione said poking her head into Ron's room, "so you better hurry up."

"Yeah sure thing," Ron said digging into the pile of fresh laundry.

Harry sat on the bed while Ron sorted out his things and suddenly noticed the dull flush on Ron's cheeks. Harry frowned. This had been happening since the last term of their sixth year and Harry could draw only one conclusion from it.

Harry looked at his best friend and decided to test out his theory. Ron had 

already opened his trunk and was pushing in his clothes, a slight smile on his face.

"Hermione huh?" Harry asked casually, but his gaze never left Ron's face.

 "Mmm... hmmm," muttered Ron, still oblivious to the fact that Harry was watching him closely.

"You like her don't you?"

"Mmmm... hmmm...," said Ron absently, caught unawares, "she's so great..." a horrified look came on to his face as he slowly lifted his face to see Harry's split into a wide grin.

"Harry... I ..."

Seeing his friends obvious discomfort Harry burst out laughing. 

"Fell for it didn't you?"

Ron's ears were burning now as he looked on the floor and mumbled something that involved telling Harry to keep his mouth shut and killing him in a single sentence.

"I won't tell," said Harry still grinning, "so don't worry about that."

"So," Ron asked carefully, "you don't mind?"

Harry looked at him nonplussed, "Why should I?"

Again Ron looked at the floor, "Nothing it's just..."

Something clicked in Harry's mind.

"You thought I liked Hermione?" Harry asked increduously. He couldn't believe his own best friend could ever make that mistake.

"Not really," answered Ron hastily, "I wasn't sure, that's all."

Harry looked at the red head in amusement, "Ron, Hermione's my best friend but that's it," seeing the dubious expression he added, "really Ron."

Ron grinned and swatted at him.

"Are you going to tell her?" 

Ron looked a bit uncomfortable, "Not now, how do you do it anyway?"

"You could write to Seamus," joked Harry. Semus was the onlyone in their year who had openly admitted having a girlfriend – Lavender.

"Yeah Harry," said Ron sarcastically, "that's real good advice," he sat down on the bed with a thump with Pig twittering around his head. "What if she says no?"

"Huh?" asked Harry.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

That thought hadn't crossed Harry's mind. "I don't know," said Harry running a hand through his messy hair.

"Maybe I should write to Seamus," said Ron gloomily.

Ron seemed to be taking a big weight off his chest by being able to talk to someone about this.

"You should take a chance and tell her,' suggested Harry.

"Now don't you start like Ginny."

"Ginny knows?"

"Rather bright that one, been after me to admit it for nearly two years now."

They sat in silence for a few minutes broken suddenly when Hermione poked her head through the door, "Have you finished?" she enquired and then wrinkled her nose at the mess on the floor, "Honestly you two – Ron are you alright?"

Harry glanced at Ron to see his ears flaming red and a dull flush rising up his neck.

"Yeah... I'm fine," he managed to choke out.

"Are you sure?" asked Hermione stepping inside, looking concerned. She held up a hand to his forehead, "is it the heat?"

Ron moved away from her hand, "No I'm..."

"Ron stop being a prat and let me check," said Hermione in an exasperated voice, "If you've caught something..."

"Probably the heat...," Ron said hastily.

"Ron you were with Moody yesterday who had a cold. You might have..."

"Hermione!"

Harry felt that he would burst from the laughter he was trying to hold back. 

"I'm going downstairs," he said as he walked towards the door, leaving Ron to be fussed over by Hermione.

He came face to face with Ginny on the landing. She was carrying Crookshanks.

"So you knew about Ron and Hermione," he said, it was more of a statement than a question. It took her a moment to understand what he was talking about. She grinned.

"So found out have you," she said as she put Crookshanks down, "but that git won't admit it."

"Well," said Harry following her, "he did."

"Really," she said looking mildly surprised, "the twins won't let him hear the end of it if they ever found out. They already teasing him without knowing it's true."

"Ready you lot?!"

Harry helped Ginny drag her trunk down to where Ron and Hermione were waiting.

"I think I'll drive you over to the Dursleys," pleaded Mr. Weasley, "It's not that far..."

"No Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley firmly, "you have to go to the Ministry, Amos is waiting remember?"

"Oh yes, yes," said Mr. Weasley looking a little dejected. He loved anything to do with muggles.

"Goodbye," said Harry as he shut the door of the car. As the engine started Harry wondered hpw the Dursleys were going to handle this.


End file.
